This invention relates to captive element release mechanisms and in particular to such mechanisms wherein the captive element is held in place by movable ball detents.
Current captive element release mechanisms commonly employ a retaining sleeve provided with cylindrical guide holes spaced around the circumference of the sleeve. Spherical ball detents are crimp retained within the guide holes in such manner that the balls are captive but free to move a limited distance such that part of the surface of the spherical ball detents protrude either into the interior of the sleeve or extend beyond the outer surface of the sleeve into retaining contact with a captive element. A longitudinally movable control shaft reposes within the sleeve. In a first position the periphery of the control shaft engages the detents along a region where the control shaft has its greatest circumference to thereby urge the detents outward to the maximum extent. After the control shaft has been longitudinally moved to a second position, the periphery of the control shaft engages the detents along a region where the control shaft has a reduced diameter to thereby allow the detents to retract to such an extent that they no longer protrude beyond the outer surface of the sleeve and thus free the captive element.
Current captive element release mechanisms of the type just described have control shafts which tend to have weak cross-sectional areas. In addition, impact or other forces directed along the longitudinal axis of the control shaft may deform the control shaft to such an extent that intentional longitudinal motion must be abnormally forced or, in the extreme, cannot be made at all.